Twenty-five families were officially welcomed home last week during a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of El Sereno’s newest affordable and green housing development, the Cuatro Vientos Apartments.

Built by the East Los Angeles Community Corporation (ELACC), the apartments replace a vacant hillside lot on North Huntington Drive.

“I am very excited to be living here with my family, it’s beautiful” said Maria de Jesus Rodriguez, one of the new tenants.

The apartment complex’s 25 units vary in size, ranging from one to four bedrooms. Funded with an Enterprise Green Communities construction grant, Cuatro Vientos is an Enterprise Green Communities-certified property. Each unit was designed to maximize daylight, has formaldehyde-free cabinets, non-VOC paints and energy-efficient windows and fixtures.

The community, which cost $13.1 million to construct, houses families that earn between 30 and 50 percent of the area’s median income.

ELACC’s president Maria Cabildo thanked all of the financing partners and construction team and recognized the Ford Family who sold the property to ELACC.
Councilmember Jose Huizar said Cuatro Vientos was a great addition to the community.

“ELACC has turned what was once a vacant property into a place where families can live, play and call home,” he said.

A college football player and father of a 2-year-old was shot to death at a party in Lincoln Heights on Sunday and police said Tuesday they are still searching for his killer.

The shooting took place at approximately 1:30 a.m. during a party the Brewery Lofts located on the 600 block of Moulton Avenue, near the Los Angeles River. The area is often described as an artist colony.

The victim is 22-year-old Ken William McRoyal, according L.A. County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter. McRoyal died at LA County + USC Medical Center at 2:04 p.m. from two gunshot wounds to the upper body, Winter told EGP.

McRoyal was a wide receiver for the University of Idaho, though he previously attended El Camino Junior College and Carson High School. McRoyal and his family moved to Southern California in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina leveled their home in Louisiana. He was in town to visit family and to see his 2-year-old daughter, according to reports.

A second victim was shot in the arm during the attack and was transported to Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, said police Sgt. Michael Morisseau, also of the Hollenbeck Station.

“Detectives believe that the victim got into a verbal dispute at a party with a small group,” Officer Cleon Joseph, an LAPD spokesman, said in a statement. “During the dispute, one of the men shot the victim and left the scene.”

McRoyal was entering his senior year and had earned a scholarship for the upcoming season. Idaho head football coach Robb Akey in a written statement said McRoyal’s death was a “devastating loss.”

“We’ve lost a brother, a teammate, a family member. But more importantly, a momma lost her son today. All of our prayers go to the family that they can be strong in their healing from this tragedy,” he said.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting was urged by police to contact Hollenbeck homicide detectives at (323) 342-8961 or (323) 342-8957. Tipsters can also call 1-877-LAPD-24-7.

The annual Peace in the Northeast anti-violence community event will be held this Saturday, May 19.

The “5th Annual Peace in the Northeast Day” aims to promote peace and an end to senseless gang-violence in the communities that make up Northeast Los Angeles. Organizers include local churches, schools, police, businesses, city officials, youth oriented agencies, neighborhood councils, and local residents.

While in years past the main event was a march through area streets, this year’s activities will focus more on programming at a single location, although six local churches will hold a smaller march that will start at 12:15 p.m. at St. Bernard’s parish in Glassell Park, according to Pastor Randy Carrillo of Church of the City.

A community ceremony will kick off programming at the Sonia Sotomayor Learning Academies at 1:30 p.m. Speakers include Assembly Member Gilbert Cedillo, Councilmembers Ed P. Reyes, Eric Garcetti, and Jose Huizar, Northeast LAPD Captain William Murphy, and other community leaders.

A community resource fair, sports clinics, music and theater performances will be held from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the school. Activities include mural painting, a soccer tournament, a basketball free-throw contest for kids ages 7 to 18, an art zone and a kid’s zone for children age 6 and under.

A 5k run will take place simultaneously at the Rio de Los Ángeles State Park, located a few blocks from the high school. Registration begins at 3:30 p.m., the run begins at 4 p.m., according to Heinrich Keifer, one of the event organizers and President-Elect of the Glassell Park Kiwanis Club of Greater Highland Park.
Closing words and a raffle will take place at 5:55 p.m.

(CNS)The Paramount Boulevard bridge over the Pomona (60) Freeway will reopen Monday, five months after a tanker truck fire beneath the overpass forced its closure and eventual demolition.

A host of dignitaries are expected to attend a media event Friday morning to announce that the reconstruction of the bridge was completed weeks ahead of schedule. Construction on the new bridge began in March, and was originally not expected to be finished until mid-June.

“I am excited and pleased to see this project completed because this overpass not only spans the 60 freeway, it’s a bridge that unites this community,” said Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello.

Caltrans crews will be making finishing touches to the bridge Friday and through the weekend to prepare it for Monday’s opening.

The Paramount Boulevard bridge was shut down following the Dec. 14 fire, which forced a lengthy closure of the 60 between the Long Beach (710) and San Gabriel River (605) freeways while crews assessed the integrity of the structure.

The bridge was demolished once it was determined the fire had caused too much damage. The demolition work was completed in late February.

The $40 million cost to rebuild the bridge will be reimbursed by the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program, according to Caltrans.

The new bridge will be 128 feet wide — 32 feet wider than the old one. It will include an additional northbound lane, an eight-foot shoulder, a 14-foot center median and six-foot sidewalks, according to Caltrans.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has added two former industrial sites in the city of South Gate to the Superfund National Priorities List in Los Angeles County, it was recently announced.

Last year, EPA proposed to add the Southern Avenue Industrial Area site and Jervis B. Webb Co. site to the list due to soil and groundwater contamination.

Superfund is the federal program that investigates and cleans up the most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites in the country.

“These industrial plants are located in the I-710 corridor, a priority area for EPA, where low-income and minority populations are overburdened by pollution,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Now that these sites are officially on the Superfund list, EPA will begin full-scale investigations of the contaminated soil and drinking water sources.”

From 1972 through today, the Southern Avenue Industrial Area site has been occupied by a facility that manufactures hot-melt adhesive tape for laying carpets. Prior to 1972, Pacific Screw Products Corporation manufactured screw products at the property until the business went bankrupt.

The Jervis B. Webb Co. conducted metal fabrication, finishing, painting and assembly operations associated with the manufacture of industrial conveyor belt systems from the 1950s to 1996 on a portion of the Jervis B. Webb Co. site. In 1997, Reliable Steel, Inc. purchased this portion of the site. Blake Rivet Company leased another portion of the site until approximately 1981. The Blake Rivet Company produced aluminum and stainless steel aircraft rivets.

With all Superfund listed sites, EPA works to identify companies or people responsible for the contamination at a site, and require them to conduct or pay for the cleanup. For the new sites without financially viable responsible parties, EPA will investigate the full extent of the contamination before starting significant cleanup at the site.

A 19-year-old man was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison for killing a Los Angeles woman in a fiery hit-and-run collision while he was driving drunk.

Rigoberto Moreno expressed his “deep remorse” after the 32-year-old victim’s mother, speaking through a prosecutor, told him she forgave him for the death of Erica Flores in the Feb. 10 collision in Boyle Heights.

“She forgives you because she knows there is only one judge and that judge is God,” Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Brownstone told the defendant.

The sentencing followed the terms of a plea agreement, with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Terry A. Bork imposing 10 years for vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one year for assault with a deadly weapon. Moreno pleaded no contest to the charges on April 17.

According to police, Moreno was driving a Ford Crown Victoria that sped through a red light at the intersection of Fourth Street and Boyle Avenue and crashed into the driver’s side of the victim’s 1994 Toyota Camry. Flores died at the scene.

“He feels extremely sorry for what he did,” defense attorney Henry Halpern said on behalf of his client. “He accepts his punishment and he deserves it.”

Today, Thursday May 17
5-10pm—Monterey Park Celebrates its Birthday with Play Days –May 17-20 at Barnes Park. 4-day carnival will include a roller coaster, live entertainment, great food and a Play Day Idols contest. Play Day Parade is May 19-on Garvey Ave at 11am. Barns Park is located at 350 S. McPherrin Ave. (behind City Hall). For more information, call (323) 307-1390.

6-8pm—Metro & Caltrans Host SR-710 Study Open House in Eagle Rock. Hear about options to improve mobility and relieve congestion within the study area. Learn about the process and concepts under evaluation, including a “no build” alternative, improvements to local streets, more transit systems & freeway options. The open house will be held at Eagle Rock Elementary School: 2057 Fair Park Ave., LA 90041.

Friday, May 18
3-5pm—Calling all Bell Gardens’ 7-14 year-olds! Take a walk around Veterans Park, play tons of outdoor games and paint pictures of the beautiful park landscapes; all for just $1. Register in the Game Room. Veterans Park is located at 6662 Loveland St. Bell Gardens, 90201. For more information, call (562) 806-7654.

Saturday, May 19
10am-4pm—Southwest Museum Opens to the Public for the first time in many years to display some items from the museum’s expansive collections. Admission is free. Take the Gold Line to the Southwest Museum stop. The Southwest Museum is located at 234 Museum Dr. LA 90065.

10am-2:30pm—Highway to Health Family Wellness Festival at the Roybal Learning Center: 1200 W. Colton St., in downtown LA. Family event will showcase new and fun ways to incorporate nutrition and physical activity into everyday life. Free admission. Presented by: Network for a Healthy California—LAUSD and Dr. Oz’s HealthCorps.

Noon-5pm—23rd Annual Museums of the Arroyo Day, where five museums located along the Arroyo Seco in Los Angeles and Pasadena open their doors free of charge. Experience a diverse mix of art, architecture and history at the area’s five unique museums. Arrive early and take Metro to avoid the crowds.

1:30-6pm—5th Annual PEACE in the Northeast Day at the Sotomayor Learning Academy. Event includes: Family Resource Fair; peace vigil; peace walk leaves St. Bernard’s on Ave 33 at 12:30 pm; 5k run starting at 4pm at State Rio Park; live musical entertainment; family & sports activities and more. Sotomayor Academy: 2050 N. San Fernando Rd., LA 90065. For more information email NEPeaceDay@gmail.com.

2:30-3:30pm—Indian Un-curried: Indian Cooking Demo at the City Terrace Library. Join Chef Kaumudi Marathe of UnCurry for a cooking demonstration exploring the rich and diverse culinary traditions of India. Food samples included. No Charge. The library is located at 4025 E. City Terrace Dr. LA 90063. For more information, call (323) 261-0295.

3-5pm—Poets Steve Abee Leads Workshop for 2012 Lummis Day Library Program, AKA “Viva Poetry,” at the Arroyo Seco Public Library. Unearth the secrets of your mind and create a cycle of poems using inspired writing techniques. Free admission. The library is located at 6145 N. Figueroa St., LA 90042. For more information, call (323) 255-0537.

Tuesday, May 22
4-5pm—Make Sushi out of Candy Workshop at the Anthony Quinn Library: 6965 Cesar E. Chavez Ave., LA 90063. Kids can eat their creations at end of workshop. Ages 8 to 17. For more information, call (323) 264-7715.

4pm—Mandarin Chinese Class at the Lincoln Heights Library. English speaking adults and teens can learn Mandarin Chinese in a group setting. Class starts with the basics, and focuses on the oral Chinese language. The library is located at 2530 Workman St. LA 90031. For more information, call (323) 226-1692.

Upcoming Events
White Memorial Medical Center’s Certified Stroke Center’s First Free Annual Community Stroke Symposium on Thurs. May 24. Learn the signs and symptoms of stoke, what to do when it happens, and how to prevent a stroke. For caregivers, stroke survivors, and people with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or stroke in their immediate family, and those concerned about stroke and heart disease. Free blood pressure screening. Location: Olivet Chapel at White Memorial Medical Center, 1720 E. Cesar Chavez Ave. To RSVP, call Cynthia Garcia at (323) 268-5000, ext. 8588 or email her at garciac8@ah.org.

Final Bell Gardens Intermediate School-Environmental Garden Club Farmers Market of the year is May 26 from 9am to 1pm (rain or shine) on the Soccer Field. Buy a bag of organic produce for just $1. Market specialties: organic produce, healthy snacks, plants, rummage sale, crafts, entertainment, information booths and more. School is located at 5841 Live Oak St., Bell Gardens, 90201.

Tickets on sale for the May 29 Lummis Day fundraiser from 7-9pm at the Lummis Home: 200 East Ave 43, LA 90042. Enjoy food from local restaurants, beer, wine and soft drinks; silent auction of wines, artwork and collectibles. Tickets: $30 in advance/$35 at the door. Buy tickets online at the www.lummisday.org, or at Galco’s -5702 York Ave, or Antigua Café -3400 N. Figueroa St.

Learn How Your Credit Score is Created at the East L.A. Chamber of Commerce business Seminar Luncheon on May 30 at Tamayo Restaurant: 5300 E. Olympic Blvd., LA 90022. $20 per person. For more information or to RSVP, call (323) 263-2005, or email info@EastLAChamber.com.

The Northeast LA community of Hermon on June 2 will celebrate its 100-year anniversary as part of the City of Los Angeles. Festivities will take place at Hermon Park: 5569 Via Marisol, L.A. 90042 from 11am to 4pm. BBQ and watermelon feed, fun kid’s activities, crafts, storytelling, art show, live entertainment and a large display of Hermon artifacts and pictures dating back to 1904. Tickets for “Hermon’s Hidden Treasures” tour on June 3 will be on sale

Free 2012 Tire Recycling Event for LA residents on June 2 at the North Central District Yard: 452 N. San Fernando Rd. LA 90031. Dispose of old and used tires: up to 9 per person per trip; passenger & light truck tires only; no tires on rims. Bring current DWP bill and/or CA driver’s license to verify residency. For more information, call (213) 485-3568.

Announcements
Non-profit BIENESTAR is participating in the California Music Festival and AIDS Walk on May 20 and is seeking sponsors to help them raise money for the organization’s health promotion and community mobilization programs. To find out how to sponsor BIENESTAR’s Oscar de la O, go to http://takeaction.aidshealth.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1242756&pg=personal&fr_id=1110
Submit an event or announcement to the Community Calendar: email calendar@egpnews.com. All submissions subject to space availability. Paid advertising available; for more information, email advertise@egpnews.com or call (323) 341-7970.